MY WITCH 30: Cracked Gate
by NotQuiteNormOld
Summary: Secrets are being revealed, as the Book of Secrets is opened, and Drake has revealed a secret to Caleb.. Are the walls of Phobos' defenses about to crack, or only the gate that would lead Caleb to happiness.. Bad summary. WxC PxE PxW ExC
1. Chapter 1

It had been four in the morning, when Will decided that she couldn't sleep, and after at least an hour of counting the lines that weren't missing on her hands, Will simply got up. It was the beauty of large towns like Heatherfield, and Will was surprised that she was yet to abuse the fact that the Leisure Center opened at 6.30 on the dot. And it took her half an hour to walk, and she'd wasted forty-five minutes before that in a pointless shower, and Will had found herself getting funny looks as she stood, directly in front of the doors as she waited. And practically jumped the man who unlocked the door as nervous energy had always been Will's flaw.. Well, one of the _biggest _of Will's flaws, which wasn't bright red.

But it was nearly nine now, and Will continued to push herself through he water; forever watching the clock, or trying to count seconds when her back was turned. She'd have to thank Caleb, for creating this uneased confusion in her stomach that wouldn't settle, because until this moment she'd been doing more math than a weeks worth of lessons with Galg- Mrs Rudolph would have consisted of; simply trying to figure out when it was appropriate to leave for Meridian.. Because she knew that once he'd gotten settled, most days Caleb got up pretty early.. But she wasn't really considered a friend anymore, and allies seemed more of a 'midday' thing.. Or was it afternoon that she should wait to.. And Will's brain felt rattled because she'd been so comfortable before.. She'd felt like she could arrive and wake him up at midnight if she needed to, and she couldn't even think whether she had, and she'd always thought Caleb hadn't minded - the only time he'd been startled being when she and Irma had woke him with Will sitting on his chest, and he'd shot out of the bed quicker than a cat from water, and even then he hadn't been mad... But he'd often acted like he was babysitting the others, and now she was just.. "Rrrgh!"

"Are you okay?" Will immediately found herself drowning, as she wasn't sure if her body was trying to stop completely; to swim on; or to turn around to see the source of the slightly gruff voice that would become the _only _other person in the pool, and Will somehow managed to find herself at the edge of the pool as she choked hazardously.

"I'm- Fine-" Will peered up, then her deflated back straightened as she realized the boy was still staring at her, and she found herself pouting at his freckled face and blue eyes. "What? Do I _know _you?"

"Aren't you the fire girl?" Will jolted at that, then found herself pulling her body out of the pool as he laughed lightheartedly, "Hey, and now you're the water girl too! Get it! Because-"

"Because you didn't think to _save _me?" Will wasn't sure whether it was the blunt tone or her bored expression: maybe the words themself that made the boy stop in his tracks. And she didn't stop herself from glaring menacingly up at the failure of a lifeguard either. "Gee, thanks, both of you.."

**...**

Julian sat, directly across the table from Caleb, much as he had been for hours. Drake stood beside Caleb, and Aketon as well.. Because he kept trying to leave and Julian knew without him needing to say. Because Drake had said enough, and Caleb hadn't let himself cry once they'd got here. And Julian ignored slightest cut that ran horizontal right over his adams apple. Caleb had woken him with a knife to his neck, and Julian knew it was the only reason that anyone might be on his side. Because Drake had told him. "You aren't Calix."

"Well that one's obvious." Caleb stared forward; past Julian; past the world. But Caleb wouldn't admit emotion.. Weakness.. Anger was the only thing he dared show when he was upset, and Julian had brought Caleb right back to where he'd been two years ago.. Angry. And distant. Denial was what hurt though, and Julian knew he didn't deserve fathership.. But it still hurt. "I'm sorry about your wife."

"That was a long time ago."

"How long?" Caleb's mossy eyes finally ventured in to Julian's, and the curiousity was something Julian wished wasn't there.. Because Julian could lie.. Or he could crush the boy in front of him.

"It'll be sixteen years in a few weeks."

Caleb nodded, and his eyes hid behind brown hair.. But Julian had seen it and something had died inside Caleb. "So I'm.."

And what could Julian do, but nod. "Calix means-"

"I know what it means." Caleb's piercing green eyes shot up in defiant anger, and Julian almost shrank back from their aggression, though neither man moved from where they sat. "It means that I am a replacement and not your son."

"You're a very handsome boy - it wouldn't have been inappropriate to call you-"

"You mean except for the obvious." And Julian nodded, and found himself looking down at the table, because his own dull, olive eyes couldn't take it to look at Caleb.


	2. Chapter 2

He had smiled, when Drake had first said it, and Drake had mistakenly assumed that that was a good sign, but he wasn't sure if Caleb had been trying to kill Julian, or was simply desperate for answers.. Drake had barely been fourteen When Caleb arrived, and knew very little of the murdering of Julian's wife.. His son.. But he knew enough, like when Aketon had noted how Caleb looked a bit like Julian, and how without the knowledge of his family's decease, an average man wouldn't be able to tell Caleb from a _real son_, though one who'd found luck in the gene pool.. And Drake had been old enough to understand; not like Aldarn, who'd inevitably be blamed by Caleb anyway, because as far as Caleb was concerned, everybody knew.. And Drake knew he'd made a mistake, but Caleb had been binding himself to Julian; wracking himself in guilt..

And Drake had only wanted Caleb to feel free to leave Meridian. Caleb belonged here as much as Phobos belonged in heaven.

**...**

"Aren't you up?" Cornelia Hale grimaced, and the shrieked when a trickle of water met her back and she jumped up to glare at her sister. "You have a friend at the door. She's even wetter than you."

At that Lilian snickered, and Cornelia pushed past the blonde bob-cut possessed by the devil; pushing clumsy hair behind her ears as she walked toward the kitchen, finding Will, fiddling with her own hands and too engrossed to even notice Cornelia's entrance as the readhead mumbled to herself. "Stupid fucking.. Rrrgh.. _Am I okay? _Did I look okay? I was drownin- Cornelia.."

Cornelia smirked, as Will's cheeks flushed red, and Will stood up, causing the chair to clamber to the floor; the noise causing the redhead to jump and Cornelia grinned when Will finally tumbled with it. Even for _Will_, that was jumpy. "Bad morning?"

"You really _are _rich.." Cornelia smiled as she helped the girl up, but Will's large brown eyes were studying the large, showy kitchen. Her mother had never been bashful, and Cornelia often wondered if it was a good thing that she seemed to have inherited the gene. "Did you just wake up?"

"Oh, no, I always walk around with a nightgown that's soaking at the back.." Cornelia laughed, but Will didn't seem to find it funny and Cornelia suddenly took back inheriting her mother's confidence.. Because she almost felt embarrassed for her spoilt lifestyle, as Will gulped and looked down at her grubby shoes. It was funny though, as far as Cornelia was concerned, that Will felt embarrassed.. Because she knew fine that Susan Vandom worked in _Simultech_, and that Will couldn't be that far off the mark of _'rich'_.. Will's.. _'Dress sense'_ was more of a.. Lifestyle choice. "That was a joke Will.. Have you _even _woken up yet?"

"Uh.. Sorry.. Caleb!" Blue eyes shot to brown immediately, as Will, again, fumbled with her words, and the redhead frowned as she suddenly turned to pick up the chair.. But it didn't matter, as a hundred emotions spilled at once, as her body thought of how beautiful he was while her cheek pulsed in tingles, but her brain remembered how he'd freaked out when she'd kissed his lips, and how he'd told her she was mistaken.. But he _had _kissed her.. "I mean, we're going to see Caleb today. Because I think I can open th-"

"When?" Cornelia didn't know, nor care what Will had to say, and apparently Will understood that fact, but not the reason behind her question as the red haired girl stood blankly.

"Well.. Now, I think.. I mean, wee have to meet everyone else at the.. The.." Will seemed to forget what she was saying, and Cornelia supposed it could've been because she'd long stopped listening after _'Now'_, because that was enough to make Cornelia want to slap Will. And by the slightly frightened expression, Will could sense that urge; stepping back and knocking herself over the chair once again - Cornelia whirled around and headed straight for the shower; ignoring the loud string of curses that would probably wake her mother, and Lilian's cackle that implied that her sister would _like _Will. The best part being when Lilian headed for the kitchen, and after a pause, Cornelia assumed Will had realized she'd been bad-mouthing in the prescence of a child; "OH.. FUCK!"

**...**

Caleb wanted to go. He didn't want to be here, and he could feel something clawing at his stomach for hours; since Drake had told him.. "I'd like to leave."

"Caleb.. Mon C-"

"I SAID I'D LIKE TO LEAVE!" Caleb stood; only for his arms to be restrained, and his eyes stung with a longing to water as Drake and Aketon pushed him back into the chair he'd been sitting on. He was shaking; he knew he was shaking, and he'd long been doing so since they'd stopped him from.. They'd asked him why he done that, and Caleb didn't know - he'd wanted to know more, but he'd wanted to kill Julian just as much. Because Julian had said killing was wrong, but didn't Julian lie anyway, and salt water fell now, as he remembered how Drake had only stood there. He was pretty sure that was how they'd done it last time - how they'd disarmed him.. _'What would Will say'_. "I want to go to Earth. I want to-"

"Caleb, do you think she wants to see you?" Drake's words had been cutting, and he knew as soon as the words had been spoken in strained voice, that Drake took it back. But it wasn't wrong. "Caleb.. I didn't mean.."

But Drake got what he wanted, because Caleb knew he'd have to be fucking elated to be a fucking replacement, before he could run to seek comfort.. And Will didn't want him, so he supposed he'd have to find Hay Lin as an alternative.. He didn't want Will to know anyway..

* * *

><p>Evil is coming - I promise.. And it'll be disturbing. :L :L<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a game - for three years gone, but Cedric had always used it in times of victory or frustration, in the same damned way. Miranda loved it; Lord Cedric knew, because she was far too eager in her finding the ways of a child. But he knew, that he'd been far too close to considerate last night, because Caleb had put him in such a league of superiority, that Miranda had actually seemed to find something in the _sex_, as well as the aftermath. Only three times in his life, had he not spoken to her afterward, and he supposed that any other than a metamorphose would assume it romantic, that he lay, entangled in her sheets and spoke every piece of his mind. But Phobos didn't watch Miranda's chambers, in any time of her being here, and Miranda had seemed to enjoy the sound of his voice. It was pathetic, that she did, but he could appreciate her trust, because as long as she was more taken to him than Phobos, she would keep his secrets.

But Caleb had escaped, and the word had mysteriously only gotten to him now - not three hours from midday - and Lord Cedric could feel hisself becoming ugly with rage - his original, human skin becoming pink, and he was almost in a sweat, by the time he'd reached Miranda's door. And she smiled beneath her _'innocent', captive_ eyes, and the quivering lip. "C-Cedri-"

The word fell, and Cedric didn't wait for the sound of the slap to fade, as he dragged her until he had each wrist in his hands, and her eyes flashed with shock when he threw her. "I've got a new game.."

And Miranda cried out as he turned her stomach to the bed; dragging her so that her knees rested on the floor.. He lusted after her pain, and wondered if she'd continue to keep his secrets.. She certainly wasn't going to go to Phobos, this young woman in a child's now broken body.

**...**

Elyon had heard the screams, and continued, now, to shove them away from her tired shoulders. She'd thought she'd feel different; having said the words; having admitted that what she did was for Phobos.. But it was deteriorating her soul, and she could feel as her insides were eaten by every mouthful of food that she ate - she might as well have been committing cannibalism; for the disgusting filth that she was. And yet, Elyon found that she was still here, beneath _his _bedsheets, because she found his bedroom far more exquisite, despite the lack of decor, and she'd not yet found a painting of him, so she'd ruined several pages, trying to perfect his face from memory.. He was clear in her mind, yet he wouldn't reveal himself on the page, because Elyon had found her hands were shaking now, with pure adrenaline.

**...**

She was here, and Phobos cursed the fact that he was smiling. He cursed that he'd had the urge to stand; as if he could meet her where she stood. He cursed that her guardians followed her through the portal. And yet his smile was still there, and not one thing could steal it; not Cedric, cursing as he went to Miranda; not Miranda for letting Cedric assault her childly form; not Elyon: who had thought he didn't notice, when she crept into his bedroom once he'd risen. "Bellus Will."

Pretty Will. Not one guard who stood in this room would understand him, but they stopped and looked up anyway; fearing he might have ordered their death.. But he hadn't killed the guards, and he wouldn't do so for a long while, as he smiled at Will's nervous grin. He found his chin resting on his knuckles as he watched her, but grew sadder as she roamed farther. He'd enjoyed the visit, be it a short one. He didn't even mind that she'd had an ulterior motive to seducing him.

No one had visited him in eighteen years without a motive.


	4. Chapter 4

"Uh.. Hi!" Will didn't much know what to do, as Aldarn stared at her with a disbelief. Hay Lin, was proudly carrying the books, and Will frowned sardonically; with full annoyance visible when Aldarn didn't move. He didn't breathe. And Will was tempted to wave her hand in front of his face, but he blinked and came back to life after long seconds.. And paled. Aldarn paled. "Yooouuu, uhh, know where Caleb is?"

Aldarn had opened his mouth, but no words appeared to be coming, and Will was sure she wasn't the only one to check behind them for some monster, considering the way his expression conveyed almost terror; panic. And Irma stepped forward and poked him forcefully in the chest before Will could do anything to stop her, though he seemed to alert to that; managing to shrink away as her voice echoed, "HEY, BUDDY, DID YOU HEAR HER?"

And Will pulled her back, as Irma seemingly prepared to _'sign'_ it.. And Irma did _not _know sign language. "Cut it out Irma, he's not deaf. He's- Drake! Hii!"

Will wished her cheeks hadn't flared up so forcibly, and that she hadn't sounded like she might actually like the snob, but was glad when he turned and choked on the water he'd been drinking.. He looked tired, but Hay Lin was quick to distract; pointing directly at the young man, who's expression appeared to be twisting to mirror Aldarn's. "I thought that was.. Oh, right."

"Drake?" Will figured the egotistical brat would have more to say, if only because he'd begun walking away from them, like a guilty man, who'd stolen a kiss, and Will was quick to slip around Aldarn, hearing the girl's loud footsteps and only glancing for a second, as Cornelia distracted the green-skinned boy from his feeble attempt to stop her. Will wasn't sure whether to be proud or embarrassed, as her strongest guardian bit her lip and twirled her hair.. "_Cornelia, you are ridiculous..._ Drake! Come back here you little rat!"

**...**

"Drake, I ought to kil-" Drake seethed, as her punch misfired into his arm, but she'd lost her concentration, and Drake knew before he'd even followed her line of sight; by the tell-tale paling features. Aldarn had looked just as confused.. Defeated.. When he'd come looking for Aketon. But when Drake looked, only Caleb was left - exhaustion had quickly given throng to anger, and it was lucky, Drake supposed, that you couldn't see that Caleb had been crying. He looked maybe ill, and the other girl came in laughing seconds later.. Caleb hadn't been in here when he'd left, but it was the closest room with a soft floor, and Caleb was probably lying there to sleep.. No one would have told him to leave, and Drake's chest tightened when Will's shock contorted into a wry grin, and he didn't know whether to stop her when she walked over, nudging him with her foot before crouching over him, "Heh heh, what, are we dead now?"

And Drake found that he'd become stuck; only seeing the blonde pull the others out from the corner of his eye as he stared. And Caleb had pulled himself so that he and Will were barely more than an inch apart, with Will grinning, and Caleb's face void of anything.. But it was a miracle that he was responding to something, as he looked into Will's eyes with dead leaves that hadn't had a chance to brown out.. And Will's eyes swirled with mirth, that Drake knew was going to drown out.. Because Caleb was having a blunt day. "I'm an illegitimate human being, who wasn't even lucky enough to be born."

Drake's eyes widened at that, and he might as well have seized, as Caleb let his body fall back so that his head hit off the floor, and he merely stared upwards at the dark with height ceilings, while Will smiled quizzically - sending a questioning glance to Drake as she cocked one of her eyebrows. She thought it was a game, and by the break in his voice, Caleb might start crying again; staring into the ceilings of Infinity.[0]

"Is it funny, Will? That I wasn't even born?" Drake didn't miss Caleb's hands flash onto his belt, and Drake cursed that he hadn't taken it, because in this state, Drake truly couldn't tell if the dagger was for himself, or Will.. And he found himself choking on air itself; silently; unnoticed, as Will's crouch rocked once to look down on Caleb, and Drake couldn't see her anymore, for the red falling around her face.

"No, but it's cute though.." Drake sucked in a deep breath, as Will laughed and Caleb's finger dropped the belt.. And Drake realized as Caleb's hands ventured, that he was taking the damned thing off and he sat up, as Will let herself fall back to her own backside. And Caleb muttered something about _'too tight'_, and Drake wondered if it'd be too much to call the girl a miracle worker, because he swore he hadn't seen Caleb smile in hours, as the minuscule smirk brushed his lips. "I brought your books.. Though.. I think Hay Lin has them, because of the.."

"You didn't touch it, did you?" Caleb wiped sleepy eyes, and Drake felt a flood of relief, when his own met Caleb's, and only a brief nod was directed before Caleb's sights returned to Will.. Will didn't look so disinterested in him now.

"No, but I think I might be able to try something, and I think it might just wor.."

* * *

><p>[0] Infinity - Infinite City, not Kandrakar :L :L<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"But.. But he was.." Cornelia frowned, as Hay Lin whined; the girl's arms wrapped protectively around the bag of books as though it would be the only thing to ensure that she'd get another glimpse of Caleb, since she'd been pulled from the room so that Will could get on with.. _Whatever _that had been.

It was Aldarn, who had apparently been waiting outside the door, and had paled when Irma happily walked, and Cornelia only heaved out two girls; she was glad that for once Irma knew when to behave, not saying a word now, as they walked silently past a full room of men - there was no point in asking, because Aldarn would only say the same thing he'd told them for the last five minutes or so, _'You shouldn't be here now.'_ And she was sure that _he _had been the one to push Caleb to Earth anyway.. What had Caleb said? "Ti ómorfo prósopo."

"Sorry?" Cornelia smiled, as a young man took her hand; blushing, when he kissed it, despite his dark, ivy-coloured skin. The voice had been low, yet cooing, and she wasn't new to having a guy flirt with her: no matter the language. And this guy was flirting; she could tell by the way Aldarn's face had fallen when he'd turned around, and Cornelia tilted her head slightly with a smile, because it had to have been weeks; months, since she'd had a guy do more than stare from a distance.. Well, that excluded Caleb, but Cornelia was already in her element as she cooed a laugh, "Sorry, I don't speak-"

Cornelia jumped, shrieked a little and she wasn't the only one alarmed, as the man stared in a fearful shock, at the young boy with piercing green eyes, who'd forced the heavy sword a few inches into the wall with his strength; directly between the man and herself. "Epistrofí off í tha íchnos ómorfo prósopó sas me ta kommátia."

"Um.." Cornelia glanced to the girls, then over her shoulder to find Will beside Drake, looking, of course, because everyone was looking, and no one other than the girls, seemed to be anything less than terrified.. But Cornelia let him, when Caleb dragged his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in the same direction as Aldarn had been taking them; pushing her to sit, when they got into the next room. "Caleb, I, uh- I didn't mean it, I was just-"

"Boys are boys Gaea," Cornelia didn't know what to say, as Caleb frowned scornfully, and the others filtered in behind him, though two men had already been in the room, as Caleb clasped her hand almost pleadingly, "But Meridian boys are not looking for your kiss."

Drake had grinned at that, and Cornelia frowned, as Will forcibly elbowed him; her face scowling and darkening in shades that matched her hair, and Cornelia wondered if that was why Will had been avoiding Matt's calls. "Uh, Caleb.. Ee-may afnon-as sas gia Ntray-k."

And Cornelia stared at Will, with nearly as much confusion, as Drake's had humor, and Caleb's horror.. Then anger.

**...**

Caleb scowled, as Drake laughed at his own words fed through Will, and he dropped Cornelia's promiscuity to cock an eyebrow at Will. "Really? You thought Drake would really tell you what you wanted to say?"

And Caleb smiled, as Will's smile fell, with an astute realization before she bit her lip, and Caleb knew he was staring at her, but she really did look gorgeous, squirming slightly under his gaze. And he'd opened her mouth to tell her that fact, before Hay Lin practically threw something at him, and he caught the heavy bag. "-and Will's going to open it for you with the Heart!"

He bowed his head then, to stare at the contents; the Book of Secrets laying on top.. Will had said that she had a present, and Caleb felt a grin gracing his features - all thoughts of the past night banished from his mind, as Will held up the Heart; swinging it in teasing demonstration.

* * *

><p>Ti ómorfo prósopo - What a beautiful face.<p>

Epistrofí off í tha íchnos ómorfo prósopó sas me ta kommátia - Back off or I will shred _your_ beautiful face to pieces.

(What Will said) Uh, Caleb.. Eímai afínontas sas gia Ntréik - Uh, Caleb.. I'm leaving you for Drake.


	6. Chapter 6

"All Phobos' plans are in this book." Caleb smiled, and Julian stood back when the red haired girl stepped forward. It would seem, that he had been forgotten, and Caleb pushed the book onto the table as the Keeper hung the Heart over it; her face contorting in concentration, as the crystal began to glow. The entire room, had emanated silence, but what Julian was captivated was not staring at the book. Caleb was looking at the girl, and Julian frowned, when the book flew open and the girl's brown eyes studied the book at her arms length, before looking to Caleb.

"It's blank."

It wasn't blank, but Julian frowned, at the Escanor scroll that didn't seem appropriate for the Prince to have written. The Prince didn't accept the language of Escanor, and Julian opened his mouth, but the tall blonde had stood up, "What are you on Will? It's in right there, in plain English!"

"No, it's in Escanor.." Caleb's emerald eyes had shot up at that, and anger replaced awe momentarily, until the redhead had stepped forward, squinting at the book, until she seemed to faint, and Caleb lurched forward, as the blonde and a dark-skinned girl caught her. Caleb hadn't wanted to talk about the guardians, so he didn't really know much about them other than what he'd seen, and Caleb had told him that the littlest was Hay Lin, and he'd mentioned a _'Will'_, though he supposed it was irrelevant, being a man's name.. He supposed he'd never know about them from Caleb now. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine."

Julian stepped back, then, as Caleb turned his attentions back to the little girl who shrugged away the girls, and seemed embarrassed by her fall.. She really was a funny girl, and he supposed that was why Caleb seemed so taken to her - the girl who put in the effort.. She was weak, and yet strong. "I'm fine."

"Good." And Caleb had smiled, as he pulled the book, open, under his arm and grabbed her wrist. It was almost hard to link him, to the boy that had held a knife to his throat. With this girl.. Caleb was harmless, and Julian looked away when the girl shrieked in surprise, and Caleb pulled her from the room, leaving him staring at four, fairly miffed girls. The only one smiling being the brunette, who's grin shone, ear-to-ear.

**...**

"Caleb! YOU FREA-" Will felt her own grin fall away with her voice, when Caleb finally slowed in a bare room, that held only a bed and a table and she didn't think to fight him, as he pushed her onto the bed, sitting on the other side with the book she wasn't allowed to touch as she stared at the bare walls, and the few maps that lay on the sad floor.. Just sitting here, she felt alone, and she wished she didn't feel the pity, as her brown eyes searched his excited grin, and brilliant green eyes. "Is this.. Is this where you sleep?"

To call it _'his room' _didn't seem appropriate, as Will couldn't help thinking that there was nothing here. There were clothes, folded, haphazardly left on the table, and one of the maps was open, with scrawl and pencils on it, but there really wasn't anything else. And she'd never thought, that Caleb might not have things, because even on Earth, he'd managed to clutter the place with books and maps, and Hay Lin had given him a Rubiks cube, that had lain, finished, on the corner post of his bed an hour after he'd started.. But this wasn't a bedroom, not by any standard that she'd known one.. And it only occurred to her now, why Caleb's visits to Meridian might have decreased the last few months he'd been on Earth.. He wouldn't even be allowed outside, because Will knew fine well that Caleb was in hiding, but she blinked, when she realized Caleb had been talking.. Reading.. ".._'Elyon's coronation as Queen of Meridian, will mark my ultimate triumph. With the recording of these words, may her fate be sealed.. By the end of her year here, her power will have peaked..And I will drain them all, to leave her withered soul to spend eternity as a Black Rose'_.."

Caleb had frowned then, and he'd skimmed over a few pages, but Will's throat had gone dry, because she was playing 'Cornelia' and asking Drake to translate things in the meager hope of winning back this boy's friendship with a few clever words in his language.. That hadn't been clever at all, because of the untrustworthy pig who'd.. And Elyon Brown was about to be.. And then Will remembered; it must've been the day she met Drake, when she'd suddenly standing in the midst of the black roses, and the gardener had.. "Oh God. Please tell me that's not-"

"_'She's redeeming her features, the brassy courtesan and I am having to reconsider my plots. The girl is proving useful, by lighting the sun, and she may have bloomed early for all her ..., I may even consider to promote her efforts, to sentenc-'._" Caleb had stopped at that, and Will didn't know if she should ask, because he was staring at her strangely, as though considering something. "He's going to murder her Will.. I'm sorry."

And it was a sad thing, that she was better not admitting, but the sentence did, somehow, seem better, than being trapped forever, and she found his eyes staring at her again, and she braced herself to be told something worse..

**...**

"There are things about me.. In the, uh.." Caleb found himself, staring down at the scrawl of his own name, rather than looking at Will, but he slammed the book shut; surprised when the key-less lock didn't click, and he let it drop to the floor as he forced his eyes to chocolates that stared at him questioningly. He could lean over, and kiss her now, and he'd had an urge when she blinked and looked away, to kiss every single inch of her body, and tell her everything he liked about her as he did.. But she'd ought to figure out herself, that she was beautiful, and maybe he'd find a way to show her.. But he'd lied to her again. "That.. _Julian _isn't really my.."

"I know." She'd sounded nearly as guilty as he felt, when she said it; looking at the floor and biting her lip; letting her legs dangle sightly from the edge of his bed. "You told me.. Once.."

And again she mirrored his inner emotion with her eyes; surprised by her own revelation. And Caleb found himself backing away slightly, as she looked at him apologetically. He couldn't remember telling her anything like..

"When you hit your head, and everyone had gone, and I had to sit with you when they gave you the pain killers, and.."

"When you were looking after me?" Caleb smiled when she nodded; apparently ashamed of her niceties, and Caleb pushed himself forward, recalling that someone beautiful had thanked him once, by kissing his cheek, and he was glad that she didn't jump away; only smiling her uneasy smile, and just being in her close proximity, he felt like he was back on Earth, trying to tell her she was pretty.. Because he could even smell the same, chlorine and talky mix, emanating from her body.. And he hoped that her cheeks burned as much as his lips did, smiling at her bright red features. "Thank you.. For that.."


	7. Chapter 7

"Thank you.. For everything.." And Will didn't know what to do. She was choking, in the crisp air itself, as her cheek pulsated, in the searing, heavy rhythm of his scalding breath on her face, and she tried to remember how this had happened.. Or how it would end.. Meridian boys weren't just looking for kisses, but Will couldn't find herself denying him - turning her head, just slightly around, and not refusing him as his forhead rested on hers..

And she tried to remember, that he was just being Caleb; where social rules didn't apply, and he would happily kiss any girl's cheek.. And she tried to remember, that Hay Lin would kiss him thank you, and that he'd done so to Cornelia, and the beautiful blonde had been turned down, yet Will wasn't at all particular, with the situation at hand, and there was no question, of leaning forward slowly, because he really was so close that she'd already be kissing him..

And her insides were screaming, because Caleb was constantly shouting, and Caleb was rude and arrogant, and Caleb didn't even like her as an allie, and Caleb's eyes were impeircably, undeniably, maliciously.. And Will didn't even breathe, simply closing her eyes and waiting - she didn't care if he was just looking for some fix, because in reality, Will didn't like Caleb all that much at all.. Did she? She couldn't remember: couldn't care less, because she denied it, if anyone said, but Caleb was one of the most beautiful boys she'd ever seen, and she'd never been attracted, to the masculine type with ripped bodies, and she was sure he was much better suited to Cornelia's tastes.. But when he spoke like he was, in the closest proximit- "I hope you wont stay like this."

"Huh?" Will opened her eyes to stare into ivy and lime; he hadn't moved away, and his voice wasn't any less.. Whatever it was he was doing, but his serious expression had changed, and now he was wry as he smiled at her. His expression registered, that he was being skeptical, and Will felt herself swallow, somewhere in the mix of the gigantic tension, that apparently she was the only one feeling.. She'd never really seen more than a boy before.. But something had changed, and now she felt sick.. Because he was playfully scolding her, and she was finding it difficult to tell her lips to retreat from a slow pout.. "I don't know what you're-"

"You aren't being very _'Will'_ today." It should've been confusing, but she knew exactly what he was talking about.. She hadn't been very Will since he'd left, because it was hard to be friendly, when no one wanted to listen to her.. And it had helped, that she knew Caleb would.. Even if he called her stupid, or shouted at her for being such an imbessile. And in truth she'd not been sleeping, because he'd been running her mind with so many trip wires of guilt.. And because at roughly 3am it started, and apparently it was a new part of her squedule to remember all the ways that she'd be dead without him at that time. But she'd woken up this morning, and she'd felt a bit more _'Will'_.. But it had gone away when she saw him.. Lying there.. And she'd only had the image, of how Aldarn had acted, and how he'd stopped her from getting through, right until.. "You're very.."

"Cornelia." Caleb's breath, _hot _on her pulsating, guiltily waiting lips, ceased when he moved away, but Will didn't know if he even knew what he was doing.. She doubted he realized that her stomach was doing somersaults, since he'd breathed his thanks to her.. And she forced herself to think of her friend. "You said you didn't like Cornelia. And when you kissed her cheek-"

"I only meant.."

"A _thank you_.. I know that, but she doesn't, and she thinks that this.." Will felt herself going redder, as she pointed to her own searing cheek, "Is more than thank you, and you need to stop it because she's going to be upset if you-"

"No, Will.. I mean.. Yours wasn't.." Will backed further, just as he was moving closer, because as much as he didn't mean it, she felt as uneasy as if it was Drake.. Though it was disturbing for her to think; she was Drake this time.. "Yours wasn't the same as Cornelia's.. I was.."

"So you do like her?" Will frowned, as Caleb growled, rather than answering, but she didn't think that she wanted to hear him say yes.. And she didn't know why.. And she looked around desperately for something to change the subject.. But there was nothing here.. There was nothing here.. And when Will turned back to him, he looked so confused, and she tilted her head at his _'giving up' _stance.. He just didn't want to admit that he liked her, and Will forced a soft smile. "You should come back. To Earth.. I only didn't want you to stay if you didn't want to.. And.. _Hay Lin_ misses you too much."

I missed you. She knew she was meant to say it. That he needed her to say it. But Will was feeling increasingly guilty for even thinking about him, while all he wanted was for them to be good again.. And he only liked her today, because almost every action since she'd arrived, had been inspired by Cornelia's shamelessly teasing Aldarn.. And Will had stooped so low to.. But she didn't like it, that Cornelia had got the thank you, even if Will could never want Caleb to kiss her.. Though hadn't he just? Will shook it away, because that wasn't what she'd wanted.. She was sure of it. She'd only wanted him to like her again, and if he didn't like Will, maybe he'd like her better if she was someone else and.. And.. "Do.. Um.. Did yo-"

"We all missed you." It was the closest she could get, and maybe it was better, but Caleb didn't look any happier, when she looked up to study him. And he almost looked upset, and Will wasn't sure what she said, as he bent down and picked up the book.

"It was stupid of you to try and read this on your own, and you should've known you'd fall."

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><p>Yes.. Sorry.. Will was all revved up too, but alas, I think I'm just going to make you all hate me by the time I'm done.. ;)<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Cornelia frowned, as she waited for the apparantly more dynamic than she'd thought - duo, that had been gone for too long. And she didn't know if she was meant to just sit here, next to Aldarn, who'd been blabbering on excitedly since she'd said that it was nice to see him, and Irma, who was still grinning, while Hay Lin moaned beside her, and Taranee constantly telling Hay Lin to behave, and the Drake, who looked about as impatient as she felt.. "Den xéro ti léte gia ména, Aldarn: Caleb ítan aftós pou tin ésyran stin krevatokámara."

"Skáse, tha páme na ton párei aliévontai!"He _did _seem to have a thing for Will, and Cornelia gave him a sideways glance, as he yawned once again.. He wasn't really at all like Matt, and Cornelia wondered if there was something in particular she liked or if she just happened to attract older boys by accident. Maybe they just liked redheads, but Cornelia hadn't much had an interest for most of the boys that were more than two years older.. They were quite.. _Mature_, and Cornelia had only pushed Will onto Matt, because she knew the boy herself, and.. He was nice. He wasn't going to push her into anything, and Cornelia had never heard a bad word about Matt Olsen. He was a one-off; a popular, yet innocent guy, who knew fine that he was damned cute, but generally was yet to ever be seen as more than the school _'sweet heart'_. He was a heart-throb, rather than a heart breaker, and Cornelia knew that he'd take care of Will.. But who was this guy? "Pós boroúme na xéroume an xéroun?"

"So.." Cornelia leaned forward, sending Drake her most dazzling smile, as she wondered whether to be blunt or subtle.. Her dad was usually subtle.. And Cornelia was all too aware that she'd taken her character from her mom's side. "Are you and Will an item or something?"

"No! She's with Ca-" Irma seemed to freeze at that, and Drake and Aldarn sat up at everyone stared at her _'Ca'_? "Ca-lvin Harris, you know, famous guy - does all those _zippy _beats.. Hehe..?"

And Cornelia rolled her eyes, as Drake took too long to drag his eyes from the brunette. "O, megála, ta dynatá pyretoú gelotopoiós gnorízei.. No.. I'm not an item, I would be an Escanor.. We're alive."

Cornelia grinned, feeling pity swarming above any annoyance at his aggressively dull-toned sarcasm - he was _perfect _for Will.. But now he thought she was already with someone.. Though, there was Matt.. But she was avoiding Matt.. "Well, maybe you should be. She was blushing at you earlier, and I think she likes you.."

**...**

Irma frowned, as Drake laughed at that, but her attention was diverted when Caleb practically threw the Book of Secrets at her, and accompanied it with several more. "Put them in the bag, I need them to-"

"Oh. My. Good-ee grac-i-ous." Irma found the momentarily lost smile returning, as she realized what he meant, and she positively beamed as Will rounded the corner, grinning uneasily as she carried another bag of books, and Hay Lin then _loudly_ verbalized her understanding, with a shriek as she jumped. He was coming back.

"I'm, uh, going to be staying with you guys.. Just for a while.." And Irma smirked knowingly, as Will seemed to hide herself with embarrassment.. Oh, dear, god.. Irma opened her mouth to comment, but found Caleb's hand clasping over her mouth as he frowned at her and the growing excitement was.. Killed. "Not that."

* * *

><p><strong>Den xéro ti léte gia ména, Aldarn: Caleb ítan aftós pou tin ésyran stin krevatokámara<strong> - I don't know what you're saying about me, Aldarn: Caleb was the one who dragged her to the bedroom.

**Skáse , tha páme na ton párei aliévontai... Pós boroúme na xéroume an xéroun - **Shut up, you're going to get him caught... How are we supposed to know if they know?

**O, megála, ta dynatá pyretoú gelotopoiós gnorízei - **Oh, great, the loud-mouth jester knows. (sarcasm, of course)

And that's it for today.. Hope you 'enjoyed' it (despite the disappointing last chapter haha) :)


	9. Chapter 9

I'm sorry! I have been ill, and still _technically_ am in recoveration, so it's either only this, or this and a short 2nd chapter for today, though tomorrow I will hopefully be alive again to do three or four (before my holidays are over).

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><p>Hollow. There was a deep-set void, which Miranda was currently trying to conceal at the for-mostly unused vanity.. Cedric had left. She'd never figured.. Never thought.. She'd felt it this time; it was worse, than sex.. Whatever that had been. She supposed it was still sex for Cedric: the bigot had clearly enjoyed himself, and for Miranda it was maybe the first time that she realized that Phobos was wrong. He should have made Cedric into a pig. "I heard you screaming."<p>

Miranda nearly fell off her perch; still in human form on the plushy stool.. Phobos had been generous in his situating her, but it was never a price to buy her affections. The beastly scum had still stolen her race: her lineage. She'd been only five years from twenty-one, and determined to inherit a husband from the species. There were thousands of them. And she hadn't been nearly intruding Phobos and his lands. They weren't infidels. There had been no reasoning behind it.. But Lord Cedric had had to lead the army in, under Phobos order.. No one was left. The fair price, she supposed would be to kill every damned Escanor. But Phobos wouldn't care.. And he daren't touch his preciously scummy Elyon anyway - there was no reason for she to. In technicality, he'd be the next in line, so she'd never understood why the rat didn't just slice her neck where she stood.. Currently in Miranda's doorway. "I'd had a nap.. It was.. a bad dream."

"Oh." Miranda found herself the strength to smirk at that. Even in her pain. Elyon was stood, directly in the doorway, and the little brat didn't even look as if she believed the crappy story. She was just standing there; staring, and Miranda even saw the girl's eyes drift toward the bed - who wouldn't? Cedric had torn the sheets towards him - for a grip on reality, Miranda concluded - and the entire bed-clothes were drawn toward that point. Like big, pointing fingers, that told everyone exactly where he'd done it.. Miranda had had the urge to make the bed to hide it, but pride had made her leave it. And it didn't matter - the mess on the floor couldn't be seen froom this side of the room, and Miranda was wearing black. She should probably take a bath. "Do you want to come for a walk?"

So she was bored. There was always a reason, if Elyon bothered to visit, though Miranda couldn't complain if the runt was unhappy with her new _'friend'_. What did Phobos expect her to do? It was better if she didn't have to entertain it. Mephitic humans.. Cedric had grown to smell more like a snake than a man.. She'd liked it. "I don't want to go for a walk today thank you."

**...**

"Mon Aldarn." Aldarn shook his head, as Drake's voice echoed over the library; around the tuble of Metamoorian books that had been gathered over the last few days. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Aldarn was so selfish, that he'd almost wanted to send Will away when she'd arrived. It wasn't fair that he'd wanted Caleb to stay. It wasn't fair that Caleb had gone, and it wasn't fair that Will had had to do without him. It wasn't fair what Julian had done, and Aldarn hadn't known.. That that was what his father had meant. _'He could be your son'_ to Julian. Marking likeness to the man in Caleb, though everybody knew that Caleb had a far prettier face than the man, but Aldarn had been twelve, maybe even eleven - numbers hadn't much been important for a long while, and he was quite sure that he'd been born in _mínas énteka_. Noémvrio. He'd have to ask his father to remind him sometime.. His father remembered. His father remembered everything here, and everyone who'd come and gone. Aldarn couldn't remember when Caleb had got here, but he'd have to count days, and ask Caleb for the date when he got back. "Aldarn."

"It isn't." Aldarn knew it wouldn't make sense, but in honesty he was talking to himself. Hearing the words echo around the room, trying to convince himself, that it wasn't fair that Caleb had gone. That it wasn't bad to want to keep Caleb here. But misery killed almost as slowly as madness - it took forever to the victim, and by the time it's done, you'd rather be dead anyway.. And Caleb was almost certainly mad the second he'd arrived, and it hadn't been all of five days before misery had set in. "Den mou arésoun eseís touláchiston Caleb."

"You never will." Aldarn smiled at that - if only for Drake, who'd come in and was shuffling through a thick assortment of books to meet him in the middle. "Unless of course, your father makes you clean up his mess."

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><p><strong>mínas énteka - <strong>month eleven

**Noémvrio - **November

**Den mou arésoun eseís touláchiston Caleb - **I don't like you as much as Caleb.


	10. Chapter 10

"She said I liked Cornelia.." Caleb hissed the words, to the brunette who still looked angry. "I was going to, but she said I liked Cornelia!"

"Who cares!" Cornelia, _and _Will couldn't have been a few feet ahead, but the laughing seemed to be drowning them out, as Irma pushed out her biggest pout. "Did you really cry when you said goodbye to Hay Lin?"

Caleb stopped then, and Irma knew that the conversation's general _'privacy' _was over. She also knew that she should've brought this up, before Will, whereas the brunette had officially used it more as a lure.. Caleb had taken the bait, and left the rod hanging. "Hay Lin, I did _not _cry."

Hay Lin was invisable to Irma, at that current moment, but at the invitation of her name being spoken, she broke between the shoulder-to-shoulder of Cornelia and Will (shoulder to neck technically, but who was she to deny Will an extra few inches.. Cornelia was tall..ish..); grinning wildly from the moment she'd finished calling her grandma to educate her of Caleb's homecoming. It was just as well that the girl was here, or Caleb would come home, _at least _to several thousand balloons ready to suffocate him, by entirely filling and surrounding the restaurant. Balloons were Hay Lin's specialty. "I didn't say you cried.. Well.. Maybe a little, but I, uh, said they were manly tears!"

"But I didn't cry."

"Didn't you?" Irma had to laugh, as Caleb frowned seriously at Hay Lin - clearly not yet quite aware of how drunk Hay Lin was on happiness right now. The bastard ought to be ecstatic to know how missed he was. He'd made Hay Lin sad. _Actual _sad. Irma grinned as she thought - she had known the reckless twit for years and if she was hit by a bus at this very moment, Hay Lin would probably remark how close it would have been to hitting Caleb.. "My bad - I forget who cried and who didn't.. Maybe that was me.. Heh heh.."

"Don't worry Hay Lin," Irma cocked an eyebrow with as much sarcasm as she'd put into her words, while Caleb looked at her blindly - he was _definitly _not ready to leave if he didn't already know what she was going to say. "We all know that Caleb is a big wuss, who giggles and twitters on about boys with you when no-one is looking, and he definitly cried, but just pinky-swore you with a cherry on top not to tell anyone."

"Nuh-uh. Caleb doesn't _'do' _pinky swears. He's a dip-a-thetic."

"It's _dyspathetic_."

"Oh.. And that issssss...?" Irma snorted, as Caleb pretended not to hear the little girl's unfinished sentence; mostly because Hay Lin was still trying to roll the 's' to make him answer her. It was quite a disappointment when Taranee finally sighed and turned around; leaving only Cornelia and Will in their own world - apparently they'd become close enough to have more important things to talk about than long, boring words.. Irma _'couldn't'_ see why...

"He was being sarcastic Hay Lin - it's like _allergic_."

"Oh. You're allergic?" Irma felt an urge to slap someone - primely herself, in the forhead, because Hay Lin had believed that. "Like dancing then?"


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to everyone here, bearing with me, but sadly I'm still feeling dreadful and have heaved myself out of bed to do this.. So don't get excited or anything :L :L

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><p>Miranda had left her then, and Elyon had scowled when the girl didn't even have to patience to stand and show her out. But there had been something wrong, too, and Elyon could feel her chest tightening, and yet there'd been no sympathy. Only her own problems and boredom and a need for distraction, which she hadn't found. "Do you know what's wrong with Miranda?"<p>

Cedric had jumped a bit too; Elyon had made a habit out of quietness. It made it easier to see things - the silence that dwelled around her, being the far most prominent. Everyone was quiet here, and it was apparently surprising that she'd decided to follow the trend. It didn't take a second for the Lord to recompose himself though, and Elyon frowned at his smile. It was almost discomforting, but then again, she was becoming a skeptic since she'd dropped the denial of her perfectly structured brother. "She'd come down with something I think."

"Oh." And Elyon wasn't sure again, because she often felt like something was wrong; that someone was lying, but she didn't really care if they were. Miranda could be dying for all she cared - Elyon only hated to thing Miranda might have been the better sister to Phobos. "Is.."

"Dinner, will be served shortly. Mon young princess."

**...**

It was odd. Nice, that no one had said anything much. Irma had made a slight fuss, and Caleb still couldn't workout Taranee, but no one had really, _really_ made a fuss of him going. No one had asked why. But then again, it looked like it was coming, because everyone was departing, and Will was still standing there; looking at him sideways and twisting her hair in er fingers, because she had something to say. "Do you want something?"

"I missed you." And maybe he should have smiled, but his entire self went on red alert and he found himself only staring at her with his mouth hanging slightly open, while Will seemed to flush red at his reaction. "I'm glad you're back.."

He forced himself to smile at her - even just a ghost of one would do (which was lucky, because it was all that he could manage, and he was struggling to function as every muscle in his body tensed. "Y-yeah, I-"

"You know, I don't really know where _my _dad is.." Caleb stared as Will's demeanor became clear - she wasn't just trying to tell him something.. It was going to be something awful, and he didn't know whether to stop her, or.. Brown eyes that had been avoiding him shot to his, and something solid found itself lodged in his throat, his eyes begging to look away. "And I don't know if I'll ever see him again. I don't even know whether he just grew apart from my mother or if he was screwing some bitch in a tight skirt. Caleb, I am not _allowed _to talk about my dad, and I have to say that I wouldn't care if he was fucking my swim coach. I don't get to see him. And I don't get to decide, and-"

"That wasn't my real-" Caleb couldn't even finish; he'd only cut Will off, because her eyes had drooped and her shoulders had arched, and she almost looked ashamed, and every sentence had gotten a minuscule fragment faster, like she was going to be caught. And he was used to anecdotes, from Irma and Hay Lin mostly; funny stories about useless things they'd once seen or done.. But he didn't like this story. "His son died, Will. His son died, and I am there as a replacement."

"..." She'd opened her mouth, but nothing more than air had escaped, and Caleb stepped forward out of duty, because she looked like something precious had been broken - her outlook on fathers perhaps - and he hadn't wanted to break anything. "Caleb, I'm fine, I ju-"

"I could really used a friend right now." He didn't, really: need a friend. But she did, and she wasn't going to let herself have one, so Caleb didn't really mind to pretend she was helping him. So that he could help her. There was something wrong with Will, and maybe this was it.. She wasn't allowed to be fragile, as far as she concerned herself, and Caleb wondered if she would ever realize that she was porcelain. "I missed you, Will. I missed you a lot."


End file.
